Search Results (1,753)

Objectives: To confirm the utility of barometric whole-body plethysmography (BWBP) as a non-invasive, clinical diagnostic test for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS) in cats. Methods: Client-owned cats belonging to brachycephalic breeds were enrolled and classified into two clinical severity grades of upper airway obstruction (UAO). Brachycephalic cats with high-grade UAO severity (Brachy-H-UAO) represented those with clinically evident effects on clinical signs or physical examination findings, whereas brachycephalic cats with low-grade UAO severity (Brachy-L-UAO) represented those without clinically evident problems. A group of non-brachycephalic (NB) cats that were respiratory disease-free and with neither a history of cardiac or systemic diseases nor exposure to cigarette smoke was used as the control group. Cats were placed in the BWBP chamber, and breathing signals were obtained after an adaptation period in a quiet and silent environment. The ventilatory variables obtained were respiratory rate (RR; [bpm]), tidal and minute volume per kilogram bodyweight (MV/BW and TV/BW; [mL/kg]), inspiratory (Ti; [s]) and expiratory (Te; [s]) intervals, airway obstruction index enhanced pause (Penh), and peak inspiratory and expiratory flows per kilogram (PIF and PEF; [mL/s/kg]). Results: Forty-three client-owned cats (11 Brachy-H-UAO, 7 Brachy-L-UAO, and 25 NB) were included. Brachycephalic cats (Brachy-H-UAO: 311 mL/kg; Brachy-L-UAO: 253 mL/kg) showed significantly lower median MV/BW than NB cats (503 mL/kg) (p = 0.01). Brachy-H-UAO cats demonstrated significantly higher median PEF/PIF ratios (Brachy-H-UAO: 1.46, minimum–maximum 0.82–2.48; Brachy-L-UAO: 0.76, 0.52–1.11; NB: 0.73, 0.56–1.00) and Penh (Brachy-H-UAO: 2.37, minimum–maximum 0.57–23.82; Brachy-L-UAO: 0.57, 0.27–1.11; NB: 0.53, 0.21–0.68) than Brachy-L-UAO and NB cats (p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed among the three groups for RR, TV/BW, Ti, Te, or Te/Ti. Conclusions and Relevance: Cats affected by BOAS demonstrate impaired ventilatory function, with reduced minute ventilation and a distinctive flow pattern and parameters reflecting limited inspiratory flow and increased upper airway resistance. BWBP can serve as a useful tool to diagnose and characterize the severity of BOAS in cats. Full article

The design of satellite constellations is a complex optimization problem interdependent with other decision problems and multiple competing, user-specific criteria. Consequently, it is very difficult to make a final decision on the constellation design. This study proposes a full simulation and evaluation framework for designing a satellite constellation. Firstly, constructing a solution space by constraining orbital parameters and varying satellite count and plane configuration. Secondly, employing six evaluation metrics—covering both cost and coverage—that are weighted via the case company, Sternula’s setting, with the TOPSIS approach for ranking the candidate constellations. A subsequent sensitivity analysis evaluates robustness to shifts in criterion weights and per-satellite cost. The study indicates that a Walker Star constellation with 97.5° inclination, 105 satellites in 15 planes (phasing 7) achieves the best cost–coverage balance for the case company and remains stable under weight and cost variations. Full article

As an elite indigenous poultry breed under national protection in China, the Xupu goose is renowned for its large body size, superior fatty liver production, premium meat quality, and high tolerance to roughage. To elucidate its genomic architecture, genetic diversity, and evolutionary selection signatures, we conducted whole-genome resequencing on 15 purposively selected, unrelated male Xupu geese. An average of 6.79 Gb of high-quality sequence data was generated per individual, yielding approximately 4.27 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with a transition/transversion (Ti/Tv) ratio of 2.49. Population genomic analyses revealed that while the population retains a moderate genetic reservoir (H_E = 0.298), it exhibits a distinct heterozygote deficit (H_O = 0.217) and a moderate genomic inbreeding coefficient F_ROH = 0.204). This structural pattern underscores the genetic impact of historical ex situ closed-flock conservation and the consequent formation of cryptic family lineages. Furthermore, genome-wide integrated haplotype score (iHS) scans detected distinct regions under recent positive selection. Functional annotation of these regions highlighted candidate genes tightly associated with the breed’s hallmark traits, specifically lipid metabolism and hepatic fat deposition (ACSS2, ACSS3, PECR), alongside muscle development (CMYA5, MTPN, LEPR). Conclusively, this study delineates a comprehensive genomic landscape of the Xupu goose, providing a robust foundational resource for future germplasm conservation, molecular marker development, and precision breeding programs. Full article

This paper presents a thermodynamic analysis of free-turbine turboshaft engines, focusing on the quantitative distribution of turbine power and related energy parameters between the gas generator turbine and the free power turbine. The study is based on an analytical calculation model combining catalog specifications and validated experimental data, applied to a series of turboshaft engines from different manufacturers with similar free-turbine architectures and power classes ranging from approximately 960 kW to 2100 kW. The comparative analysis is conducted at take-off conditions for the engine series, while a detailed regime-dependent investigation from idle to take-off is performed for the TV2-117A reference engine. The results indicate that, at take-off, the gas generator turbine typically absorbs between 55% and 66% of the total turbine power to drive the compressor, whereas the free power turbine delivers the remaining 34% to 45% as usable shaft output. For all analyzed engines, the total actual specific enthalpy drop of the expansion process exceeds 98% of the available thermal potential, demonstrating efficient turbine energy utilization. Total turbine temperature drops are found to range between approximately 335 K and 565 K, depending on engine power class and cycle characteristics. In the case of the TV2-117A engine, the gas generator turbine power share decreases from about 75% at idle to roughly 65% at take-off, confirming a clear regime-dependent redistribution of expansion work. Thermal efficiency values at take-off vary between approximately 23% and 31% across the analyzed engine series. Unlike previous studies primarily focused on single-engine modeling or control strategies, this work introduces a unified and experimentally validated multi-engine thermodynamic framework that quantifies internal turbine power distribution patterns and provides transferable design-oriented benchmarks for free-turbine turboshaft engines. Full article

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) must make predictable and socially compliant behavioral decisions to ensure safe and efficient interactions with other road users. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a game-theoretic behavioral decision-making model integrated with spatial motion planning to capture the interactive intentions between the ego vehicle (EV) and target vehicle (TV) in pairwise scenarios. First, the study defines an intention representation method that characterizes intentions using spatial area boundaries, feasible speed ranges, and a set of goal points (speed goal points, position-orientation goal points). Second, a spatial motion planning approach is adopted to evaluate the intention, which optimizes the driving scheme using a multi-objective cost function (incorporating pursuit precision, comfort, energy efficiency, and travel efficiency). Finally, the game-theoretic decision-making model is constructed. The Social Value Orientation (SVO) is introduced to quantify drivers’ social preferences, and the payoff function, which integrates safety rewards (based on inter-vehicle distance) and performance rewards (based on motion planning indices), is established. Simulation results verify that the proposed model can effectively address the interactive intention decision-making problem between the AV and other road users and handle different scenarios. Full article

Tourism is increasingly shaped by visual experiences of place mediated through television series and audiovisual fiction. Although film-induced tourism research has widely examined how media representations influence destination image and tourist responses, limited attention has been given to the perceptual and cognitive processes through which mediated landscapes are visually attended to and mentally organised, particularly from a neuroaesthetic perspective focused on early perceptual and attentional mechanisms in fictional contexts where tourism is not explicit. Addressing this gap, this study adopts a process-oriented neuroaesthetic approach to examine how landscapes in the television series Killing Eve are visually attended to and cognitively processed as destination imagery. An exploratory mixed-methods design combined qualitative content analysis of free recall responses (n = 260) with simulated visual attention modelling based on low-level visual features. The findings reveal a two-stage process of mediated landscape experience: visual attention initially guided by perceptual salience, followed by the selective cognitive stabilisation of certain elements as destination imagery through recall, imagination and narrative association. The study demonstrates that mediated landscapes are not processed as holistic destination images, but as selectively organised and emotionally inflected elements emerging from the interaction between visual attention and imagery processes. Full article

Mass media plays a key role in helping audiences organize facts and make sense of uncertainty, particularly during emerging medical crises when pre-existing knowledge is limited. The COVID-19 pandemic was the first major global crisis in the modern communications era in which traditional media (TV, radio, newspapers and major news sites) and social media (especially Facebook groups) both functioned as high-reach information systems, shaping public interpretation in parallel. Social media, especially closed and semi-closed Facebook groups, became a central arena for discussion, community building, and the circulation of alternative interpretations. Against this backdrop, the current study examines how anti-vaccination activists (anti-vaxxers) who are active in anti-vaccine Facebook groups perceive mainstream media coverage of COVID-19. The study employs a qualitative design based on semi-structured in-depth interviews with 70 anti-vaxxers of both genders who were active participants in anti-vaccination Facebook groups. Findings indicate that participants perceive mainstream media as advancing a biased, unidimensional narrative aligned with governmental, economic, and political interests, and as delegitimizing dissenting voices. Consistent with the hostile media effect, interviewees interpret coverage as hostile toward their community, which intensifies their tendency to avoid mainstream news and rely on Facebook group networks for validation, interpretation, and mobilization. These results highlight how crisis coverage is experienced by marginal groups and how social media group dynamics can reinforce perceptions of media hostility and deepen informational polarization. Full article

Background/Objectives: Western societies introduce school-based or school-linked programs in order to improve the physical health status of students and prevent the negative impact of the late diagnosis of a series of diseases and conditions. Preschool visual acuity (VA) screening represents an established school-based approach aimed at the early detection of amblyopia risk factors and vision-related learning difficulties. In this study, we report the methods and outcomes of the first officially organized kindergarten-based VA screening program in Greece, implemented using the Democritus Digital Visual Acuity Test (DDiVAT) screening suite and involving trained educators as part of the screening workflow. The present analysis focuses on the operational performance and screening outcomes within this defined setting. Methods: This study was a kindergarten-based screening. Each kindergarten was equipped with the DDiVAT screening framework, which consisted of a 32-inch, 4K, Android Smart TV with the DDiVAT application preinstalled, a site-license granting access to the secure DDiVAT database, and two vouchers for teachers to participate in the official lifelong DDiVAT training program. Results: From 2476 enrolled students, 207 (8.36%) were referred due to suboptimal presenting VA in one or both eyes. Average VA ranged from logMAR 0.11 to 0.07, which is consistent with former reports. Conclusions: No major technical difficulties were encountered, suggesting that DDiVAT may represent a feasible digital approach for preschool VA screening in real-world educational settings. Full article

Cryogenic CMOS technology provides a promising approach to surpass the Boltzmann limit and advance Moore’s Law, addressing the increasing demand for high-performance computing. However, at cryogenic temperatures, the subthreshold swing (SS) of the device saturates due to the band-tail effect. This study presents a 3-vertically stacked gate-all-around nanosheet (NS) transistor featuring room-temperature O radical interface passivation. This approach leverages the high reactivity of O radicals to minimize etch-induced damage, passivate interface defects, reduce thermal budget, and ensure uniformity in complex 3D structures. Structural characterization revealed a uniform 0.76-nm-thick interface layer, with a surface roughness of 0.103 nm and an interface trap density of 2.72 × 10¹¹ cm⁻²·eV⁻¹ at 300 K. Thereby, the band-tail-induced SS saturation at cryogenic temperatures is effectively mitigated. Experimental results confirm a lower characteristic temperature T_v for reaching the saturation plateau, and a saturated SS of 15.4 mV/dec at 4.5 K. Furthermore, reducing disorder-induced defects substantially suppresses the band tail state-assisted carrier emission, thereby minimizing subthreshold leakage. This enables the device to achieve an off-state current below 1 pA/μm at a temperature under 77 K, reaching 0.18 pA/μm at 4.5 K. Additionally, a reduction in 25.4% in drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL), with a 9% boost in transconductance (G_m) peak is achieved at 4.5 K. The enhanced subthreshold switching, reduced leakage, and improved G_m in this interfacial-optimized NS FET strongly supports cryo-CMOS as a viable solution for energy-efficient computing. Full article

Background: African animal trypanosomosis, caused by Trypanosoma vivax, remains a significant challenge to cattle health and productivity in regions where it is endemic. The development of vaccines against this parasite is particularly challenging due to its highly effective immune evasion mechanisms. Methods: An immunoproteomic approach was employed to identify T. vivax antigens through the immunocapture of parasite proteins using purified IgG from naturally infected sera. The objective of this strategy was to identify novel vaccine candidates, evaluated in a BALB/c murine model, aimed at promoting the induction of trypanotolerance. Results: An invariant surface glycoprotein (Uniprot code: F9WVM3, Tritryps code: TvY486_0045500), here designated TvISGAf, was selected based on its reported diagnostic relevance and its classification within the vivaxin antigen family. The protective potential of TvISGAf was evaluated in a murine model of T. vivax infection. Immunization with TvISGAf induced a robust antigen-specific humoral response, accompanied by a substantial cellular immune response. Following challenge, mice immunized with TvISGAf formulated with the ISPA adjuvant demonstrated enhanced control of body weight and hematocrit, and improved survival during the acute phase of infection in comparison to control group. Cytokine profiling revealed elevated levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α, accompanied by increased IL-10 production. Conclusions: Collectively, these findings demonstrate that TvISGAf formulated with ISPA confers partial protection during acute phase of infection, consistent with the induction of trypanotolerance. These results support its potential as a promising component of a multivalent vaccine strategy against T. vivax, and highlight the need for further evaluation prior to assessment in the bovine host. Full article

Background: Emotion recognition ability (ERA) plays a central role in children’s socio-emotional functioning, supporting early social interactions. This study examined whether ERA shows a pre–post change in a classroom-based training context and explored the association between ERA and socio-emotional adjustment. A secondary aim was to compare ERA between children with and without behavioral difficulties. Methods: A quasi-experimental study using a controlled non-randomized pre–post design was conducted. The sample included 159 children attending four public elementary schools. Study 1 compared an experimental and a control group assessed before and after the intervention using the DANVA-2-RV. Study 2 examined associations between ERA and behavioral functioning assessed via teacher reports (SDQ-TV) using correlational and group comparison analyses. Results: In Study 1, multivariate analyses revealed a significant main effect of Time, indicating overall variation across assessment points, whereas the Time × Group interaction was not statistically significant. Follow-up analyses were therefore interpreted descriptively. In Study 2, lower ERA was associated with higher socio-emotional difficulties, particularly peer problems. Conclusions: Across both studies, ERA varied over time regardless of group condition and was linked to socio-emotional adjustment in early childhood. However, the findings do not support a causal interpretation attributing these changes to the intervention. Future randomized studies are needed to determine whether targeted interventions can effectively modify ERA. Full article

Rapid vascularization is essential for bone regeneration in oral and maxillofacial surgery. This systematic review synthesised in vivo evidence on 3D-printed composite scaffolds in rodent critical-size calvarial defects quantified by Microfil perfusion and micro-CT. “Composite” was defined as an organic–inorganic construct within the printed scaffold (not a single-phase scaffold with a surface coating). PubMed, MEDLINE, and Web of Science Core Collection were searched for studies published from January 2014 to December 2025. Eligible studies compared composite scaffolds with non-composite (single-phase) scaffolds and/or empty controls and reported vascular outcomes (vessel number, vascularized area) together with bone outcomes (new bone area, bone volume fraction [BV/TV], and bone mineral density). Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. In outcome-specific exploratory analyses, composite scaffolds were associated with higher new bone area than comparators (p = 0.031). Functional modifications were associated with higher vascularized area (p = 0.025) and higher new bone area (p = 0.038), while dual-factor modifications showed the largest gain in new bone area (p = 0.002). Pore sizes ≥ 400 μm were associated with higher BV/TV (p = 0.029). Heterogeneity in designs, follow-up, and reporting, together with small sample sizes, precluded meta-analysis. Composite scaffolds appear promising, but standardised methodologies and improved reporting are needed to define optimal design features and support translation. Full article

Background: Smoking is a major public health concern worldwide and is associated with adverse effects on pulmonary function, postural control, and overall physical performance. Aquatic exercise has gained increasing attention as a safe and effective training modality due to its unique physical properties. However, evidence regarding the effects of aquatic exercise on pulmonary function and dynamic balance in young adult smokers remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of an 8-week aquatic exercise training program on pulmonary function parameters and dynamic balance performance in young adult smokers. Methods: Twenty-two physically inactive male smokers were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 11). The experimental group participated in an aquatic exercise program three times per week for eight weeks, while the control group maintained their usual daily activities. Pulmonary function parameters, including FEV₁, FVC, FEV₁/FVC, PEF, PIF, MVV, VC, TV, and IVC, were assessed using spirometers. Dynamic balance performance was evaluated using a portable dynamic balance platform under single-leg (right and left) and double-leg conditions. Data were analyzed using a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA. Results: Statistically significant time × group interaction effects were observed for vital capacity (VC) (p = 0.033, η²_p = 0.378) and tidal volume (TV) (p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.734), suggesting potentially greater changes in the experimental group compared to the control group. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) demonstrated significant main effects of time (p = 0.047) and group (p = 0.031). Dynamic balance performance showed statistically significant time × group interaction effects across right-leg, left-leg, and bilateral conditions (p < 0.01), with large effect sizes (η²_p = 0.762, 0.609, and 0.507, respectively). However, given the pilot nature and limited sample size of the study, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary. No significant changes were observed in FEV₁, FVC, or FEV₁/FVC ratio. Conclusions: This pilot randomized trial suggests that an 8-week aquatic exercise program is feasible and may produce preliminary improvements in selected pulmonary function parameters and dynamic balance in young adult smokers. Larger, adequately powered trials are required to confirm these findings. Full article

The development of sustainable vitrimers from bio-based sources addresses the need for high-performance recyclable materials. This research describes eugenol-derived epoxy vitrimers cross-linked with adipic acid as a curing agent, focusing on comparative effects of caffeine and zinc acetate as transesterification catalysts at 5 and 10% concentrations versus a non-catalyzed control. Both catalysts acted as curing accelerators, confirmed by FTIR and DSC analyses, revealing polyhydroxyester network formation through associative ester exchange enabling topological reorganization. Zinc acetate at 10% proved most efficient, achieving the lowest apparent activation energy (116.0 kJ/mol), highest crosslinking density (ν_e = 3.42 × 10⁻³ mol/cm³), improved thermal stability with unimodal degradation profile, and substantially reduced topology freezing transition temperature (T_v = 132 °C), confirming enhanced dynamic properties. Caffeine demonstrated catalytic activity, reducing apparent activation energy to 124.4 kJ/mol at 10% and promoting rapid epoxide conversion during initial curing at moderate temperatures. Although its catalytic efficiency is moderate compared to zinc acetate, its bio-based origin and non-toxic nature make it a promising green alternative for sustainable vitrimer applications. Results demonstrate that catalyst selection is crucial for tailoring curing kinetics, network structure, and final vitrimeric properties, providing key guidelines for designing advanced circular materials from bio-based precursors. Full article

The presence and impact of tricuspid valve (TV) prolapse in patients with mitral valve (MV) prolapse and severe mitral regurgitation (MR) have not been widely reported. The aim of our study was to describe the prevalence of TV prolapse, and the associated echocardiography features, in a large cohort of patients with MV prolapse undergoing surgery, and to explore its potential clinical impact. A total of 803 patients were included, of which 87 (11%) were diagnosed with TV prolapse, while 716 (89%) patients showed no TV prolapse. Patients with TV prolapse were more often diagnosed with Barlow’s disease compared to patients without TV prolapse, and also had more frequently significant TR, a larger right chamber size and TV annulus; they also underwent concomitant TV annuloplasty more often. During follow-up, there was no difference in terms of TR progression or all-cause mortality after surgery between the patients with or without TV prolapse. In conclusion, TV prolapse was associated with a more severe phenotype in terms of baseline cardiac remodeling and TR severity in our large study cohort of MV prolapse patients undergoing MV repair. However, when successfully treated, TV prolapse was not associated with worse outcomes after surgery, also in terms of TR progression. Full article